On July 19, Esparza was at Six Flags over Texas with her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. It was her first time at the theme park, and her first time riding one the park’s signature attractions – the Texas Giant. This wooden coaster has one of the steepest drops in the world for a wooden roller coaster, yet didn’t include seat belts or shoulder harnesses for the rider.

At the time, the only thing holding your ass in the seat was a T-bar mechanism that locks over your lap. Despite her size and shape, Esparza met all the qualifications needed to ride the coaster as evident by the ride operators letting her on in the first place.

Esparza was seated in the front seat of the second car, while her daughter and son-in-law sat in the two rear seats of the first car. Before the ride started, one of the employees went around and checked all of the safety bars to ensure they were locked. The employee would later tell police they remembered thinking the restraint was not all the way down on Esparza’s lap, but the ride’s computer registered it as locked.

With the computer alerting the ride operator everything was ready to go, and that the safety bars were locked in place, an all clear was given and the ride began. It was during the coaster’s first big descent that Esparza’s daughter realized something was really, really wrong.

Hearing screams from behind her, Esparza’s daughter turned around to see her mother upside-down in her seat. Her head was almost in the floor with her legs sticking straight up in the air. Her daughter could do nothing but watch in horror as her mother tried desperately to hold on to the safety bar before the twists and turns of the coaster shook her loose.

Esparza ended up hitting one of the coaster’s support beams before being catapulted 75 ft, her body landing on the tin roof covering one of the coaster’s lower tracks. It took firefighters an hour to find her body, which was partially wrapped around a support beam. The report states Esparza’s lower body was on top of the roof and her nearly severed upper body was hanging over the side of the roof.

I’ve included this POV video of the Texas Giant, just so you can get a better feel for the ride. A ride that looks awesome, btw.

The family’s lawsuit was announced on the same day Six Flags announced the re-opening of the Texas Giant, which had remained closed since Esparza’s death. The suit claims park operators were negligent in not having an adequate restraint system in place, and are seeking $1 million in damages.

The suit states that inspections performed on the roller coaster after Esparza’s death “showed that various parts of the security systems on the ride were experiencing inconsistencies and intermittent failures.” Basically, they found that the computer would indicate the individual lap bars were locked, although they could all be in varying positions.

The suit also claims that after inspections were completed, a “limit switch” was found to be defective in the very car in which Esparza had been riding, and had to be replaced. The lawsuit names Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc, Texas Flags, Ltd. and Six Flags Over Texas as defendants. You can read the lawsuit here.

Six Flags has denied “each and every” allegation in suit, saying they were not responsible, and that independent contractors were responsible for the passenger restraint system.

“We are heartbroken and will forever feel the pain and sadness of this tragic accident,” said Steve Martindale, president of Six Flags Over Texas. “The safety of our guests and employees is our company’s absolute highest priority and we try to take every reasonable precaution to eliminate the risk of accidents.”

That being said, the Texas Giant re-opened to the public on September 14 – complete with a new set of re-designed restraint-bar pads from the manufacturer and new seat belts. The park also provides a coaster ride seat at the ride’s entrance so potential riders make sure their fat asses can squeeze into the coaster’s new restraint system before getting in line.

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Keyboard_Bully

$1 million isn’t enough.

Buffettgirl

Hey, Six Flags, stfu and pay these people, they didn’t ask for nearly enough and you know it! (love your Six Flags Over Georgia park btw)

ShelbySP

Yeah, just $1 Million for having to watch your mother be cut in half and die? They’re being very conservative.

non

I thought the same thing when I read the article.

Malodorous

The employee would later tell police they remembered thinking the restraint was not all the way down on Esparza’s lap, but the ride’s computer registered it as locked.
With the computer alerting the ride operator everything was ready to go, and that the safety bars were locked in place, an all clear was given and the ride began.
[…]
Basically, they found that the computer would indicate the individual lap bars were locked, although they could all be in varying positions.

I keep trying to warn everyone about The Machines, but no one listens to me. Maybe they’ll begin to listen now!

Texas Ranger

When the hell are people going to realize that just because a computer says its right don’t fuckin mean it’s right. Use your God given common sense folks! Damn, pisses me off when someone defends a stupid computer. The computer on my truck says change the damn oil…2 seconds after I changed it. I ignore it. So no, computers don’t run my life.

sandysancoco

That is my biggest fear..falling out of a fucking roller coaster. And this is why I’m staying on the ground! I seriously dont trust someone getting paid minimum wage to ensure my safety…

peanutbutternuts

i’ve been on that rollercoaster a hundred times, but after this shit i’m avoiding rides at amusement parks

Leasha

In the first report, it said Esparza even expressed uncertainty that she was safely in the seat, now they wanna say it was NOT their fault? I like how they pin the blame on the independent contractors. They provided the parts to the ride. It is not their job to check in every once in awhile, make sure everything still runs fine & replace any faulty parts. That is the job of Six Flags employees.

Evan

“catapulted 75 ft” [whistle] that’s a long way to catapult someone that big. Anyone know if that 75 feet was mostly upwards, or downwards?

SraChina

Before I lost weight there was no way I was going to get my fat ass on a ride fuck that not even at my local fair. Now that i’m 150 I still don’t get on the rides. What in the world would compell someone her size to get on that ride???

Aussie Sabbath

Someone in serious denial about their health issues.

whateverme

Lol…The ad at the bottom ‘6 signs you’re a liberal who is out of touch with reality’. Ha ha

Twisted1

When I was a teen, I went to the Strawberry Festival in Fl. I got on the ring of fire with my cousin. I was toothpick skinny and she was overweight. They only had a pull down bar to hold us in. As the ride was hanging upside down I was sliding out of the bar. My head and neck were up against the grate on the top and my shins were the only thing keeping me in the cage as I tried to put them straight out to keep me from falling out. I had never been so afraid in all my life.

Jessie

Now that’s a roller coaster I need to try! Can you imagine the force it took to catapult that cow 75 feet? Count me in.

Jessie

I personally think that anyone that fat has no business getting on ANY of the rides. It’s a “huge” risk for the rider and the equipment. There should be weight restrictions, just like height restrictions. You wouldn’t let super skinny minny ride either. She could easily slip out! I always wondered why it was ok to set height limits but none for weight…

VenusDoom3

I’m having visions of a sequel to Maximum Overdrive featuring roller coasters. Scariest goddamn movie ever not made. Put a clown at the ride’s controls and every damn one of us will have nightmares for life.

VenusDoom3

Just from a physics standpoint, I have to agree with you on the weight restrictions, Jessie. I don’t discriminate against larger people (hell, I married one), but realistically, there’s a weight restriction on a friggin’ elevator — why not on a speeding, looping death machine?

BearsBluff

Is it really necessary to call her a cow? Or are you just trying to show everyone your ass?

Jessie

Exactly! Maybe this incident will finally get people to take a closer look at these things…

Jessie

Trying to show everyone my ass, of course. I calls ’em how I sees ’em. That would have to be a pretty awesome force, don’t ya reckon?

BearsBluff

This is someones dead mother, daughter, sister, friend etc. Try having just one moment of sympathy for others. If you still feel like the worst part of the story is her weight, then to each her own I guess.

Jessie

Look at it this way- the roller coaster saved her from decades of rolling around in an electric wheelchair waiting for the Type 2 diabetes to slowly kill her.

BearsBluff

And following that f’d up train of thought, perhaps she’ll get to watch you play in Satan’s Olympic Games from the comfort of her fluffy white cloud recliner.

EveryVillainIsLemons

At least now the coaster has better restraints. At least she didn’t die horrifically for nothing.

Lena60

This is in my neck of the woods. This is the reason and my fear of heights to why I never went to this park and rode any of their roller coasters.What a horrible thing for this family to witness

Lena60

It’s deadwards.

Lena60

*shaking my head* Did you eat ground glass for breakfast?

Jessie

Only if ALL the parks around the country finally look into adding weight restrictions along with height restrictions on ALL amusement rides. Then her death would not be in vain.

Deus Absconditus

Yes! these people make serious amounts of money. They should be suing for 7 million at the least.

The woman killed at Magic Mountain in California, who was thrown from their largest coaster (at the time) was built exactly like this chick.

Lorraine Nation

A million definitely isn’t enough as the lawyer will get a good chunk of that. My friend’s husband was killed at work and she sued for 3 million but the lawyer got a million of that. Always goes high as they will cut you down to nothing.

Lena60

. “So no, computers don’t run my life” So I take it, just the wife does then? 😛

JohnQknowitall

In a civil suit complainants ask for less money than they actually believe they will receive and the attorney fees will eat up a chunk of the final settlement. One million to lose a mother in such a horrific way and then you, your children and your husband also have to witness it —- Either they have a shitty attorney or Texas thinks so little of its citizen that there safety and pain are negligible. I am think both the former and latter are true.

JohnQknowitall

I think they are probably not disagreeing there was negligence, but that another company is responsible.

Texas Ranger

maybe. but she dont know it.

Buffettgirl

For a measly million? They should pay it and then go after the other company if they think they are truly blameless. I’m sure there is some legal technicality that makes that impossible, I just think that the family has been more than decent in what they are asking for, it should just be paid and gotten over with as soon as possible so the family can move on.

Buffettgirl

Man – people still don’t get you Jessie! I got it! 😉

annaflixion

That happened to me on the Rainbow when I was a kid. It had some sort of belt thing that wasn’t working right and I complained to the teen running it and he said witheringly that it was ‘fine,’ and I nearly slid out underneath the bar; my best friend holding onto my arm the whole time probably saved my life. Of course, I was eight at the time so my complaints went completely unnoticed because I was obviously just ‘making it up to get attention.’ I don’t do rides anymore. Who wants to get on some non-regulated deathtrap run by misanthropic teenager?

No – Jessie has very strong opinions on weight and weight control. It’s just who she is.

BrittBrittRoss

Its one thing to have a strong opinion on weight control, another to be calling the victim of a horrible death a derogatory name like …we have our jokes for shits & giggles, but this is troll-like behavior, & I’m convinced that however she feels about overweight people, she is also trying to see how many people she can piss off…for attention…its inflammatory language & she knows it…

BrittBrittRoss

If she just wanted to express her opinion then fwhatevs, but its the words she uses, she gets some satisfaction from getting people riled up…

Buffettgirl

Possibly, but everyone keeps biting too. I just laugh and move along for the most part. She’s kind of like that “Melissa Woofward” that is a rabid Anti-Pit bull advocate. Responding to her is like banging your head into a brick wall if you have anything even remotely nice to say about Pit bulls. She’s the reason I switched my avatar to the cute picture Morbid used on one of the stories. Jessie is the same way about weight. It’s that everyone bites that keeps her going.

BrittBrittRoss

“Can you imagine the force it took to catapult that cow 75 feet?”

Ways you could have described Ms. Esparza that are both truthful & appropriate:

an overweight person, an obese person, a very obese person, a heavy person, a big person.

You’re not trying to describe here, you are trying to demean big people and/or shock the sensibilities of the reader…..pffffffft.

BrittBrittRoss

Sigh, Yea, I know…

Buffettgirl

OK – I know we were being serious, but you missed my little funny… this is about weight, and i used the term “bite” in a couple of forms… come on, it should have made you giggle a little… It is DD after all and we are all a bit twisted. 😉

BrittBrittRoss

Lol, I did miss that in my annoyed state….

Kim

I miss working at Six Flags. Sometimes acting like a grown up sucks with a real job sucks

CT

I’m so proud of you for your snark.

CT

Being the nasty grudge holder that I am, I’m still remembering something about me living in a poor area of Virginia.

In a world where things makes sense I agree with you, but back to reality… Well as close to reality as the readers of this site and American citizens ever get… this all makes sense. I still cannot figure out why an attorney would ask for only 1 million for something this horrific (family witnesses this horrible thing and the mother’s last minutes of terror end in pain and mortal trauma)… unless there is a limitation in Texa on civil cases. I would find an attorney who migh pursue it in Federal court if that is the case.

One more thing: admitting neglegence might hurt the park more and who knows what the future may bring?

BrittBrittRoss

A perfectly reasonable comment.

captaingrumpy

I notice you didn’t comment on the pitbull story ??

captaingrumpy

What site is this again ???a church Flier ????

captaingrumpy

You are definitely on the wrong site.

Jessie

Ha! I defended you to Texas. I said Arlington was the farthest thing from poor! I think you were angry because I described the area as “chock full of Whole Foods and Trader Joes” :-p

Jessie

Thank you!

Jessie

I AM capable of them. I know its hard to believe.

Jessie

No, just stirring the pot a little. I do have really strong feelings about the morbidly obese though. And I don’t really have a filter- when talking or typing, actually. It’s almost gotten me fired from a job or two.

CT

I’ve “known” TR for many years and he loves to torture me. They closed both the Safeway and Giant stores down the road from my house to redo them. It’s a major pain in my ass. I prefer Wegmans but they aren’t close.

Jessie

I know. I was just giving you some shit about living in NOVA. I’m in Maryland, remember? We are supposed to meet in Rehoboth one day. Actually I live a couple miles from a Wegmans. You know people spend their afternoons there? It’s HUGE. There is an entire deli counter devoted to CHEESE. Awesome.

I just don’t like it when ppl get on the victim…everyone else is fair game…

Unless, of course, the victim was hurt/maimed/killed in the process of trying to hurt/maim/kill/ others, & I wouldn’t blink twice if she was referring to a perp that way. We usually shame/insult dumb criminals…

Twisted1

I was a tween not a teen at the time. I got the same response as well.. Even though we were screaming for them to stop the ride (and they did stop it). The adults thought we were making it sound worse then it really was. Pisses me off now, because if it was my child everyone in that park would know how pissed I was. I loved roller coasters before that. I never got on another one again after.

Jessie

I guess I don’t believe in the word “victim” in many cases. There are no victims in life. Only easy targets. And if a “victim” is fat- then I’ll call them fat. It’s not an insult if it’s the truth! Especially when that obesity most likely led to her accidental death. I have the utmost sympathy for her family. But if she had taken better care of herself she would probably still be alive…

BrittBrittRoss

Ummm, she didn’t die from DM, Heart attack, or any other weight-related ailment. She died to malfunctioning of the security system that ensures the safety bars were locked, how could her being thin have helped her in this situation?

Its just really obnoxious to throw in a jab about this poor dead woman’s weight…what does it have to do with anything?

Jessie

I understand that my words were not very nice. I guess what I’m saying is that her circumference contributed to the failure of the safety equipment. I’m sure normal-sized people had been getting on the ride all day with no safety malfunctions. Ironic that this woman’s size played a role in her accidental death. It most certainly would have killed her sooner or later.

I really believe people should be weighed and measured before getting on a roller coaster like this.

Buffettgirl

Well, I did in a way, I commented on the cuteness of the photo… I’m actually not a Pit owner, or even an advocate although I had two 20 years ago that I adored beyond measure. I try to avoid making too many pitbull comments, I don’t want to encourage the pitbull haters.

Buffettgirl

OK – that would be some funny shit! 😉

BrittBrittRoss

I agree about the measurements, I wasn’t disagreeing with that part, or even how you feel about overweight people in general, that is your opinion. Just felt you were being unnecessarily harsh towards this woman & it burned my britches…

Buffettgirl

I gave you the up vote because it was funny shit, but sorry, my personal experiences with Pitties has always been good. I met three this past weekend that were all awesome, well behaved little lovebugs! 😉

Vesper B

I can’t beleve these rides don’t have weight restructions. Are the parks afraid of offending? I’m very short and I can’t get on some of these rides. Hell, I know I’ll fly off and that very fact (along with my general acrophobia) keeps me on the ground.

Jessie

I know, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? I think that most amusement parks, rides, and rules pre-date the obesity epidemic. They should at least have a “circumference” restriciton. Because your weight isn’t the issue- it’s your SIZE. And the woman from this story looks like she has size G boobs.

technicolorpachyderms

I disagree. Any time an obese person’s weight has been an issue on an amusement park ride, it is due to restraint failure caused by their weight shifting. There is no need for any kind of weight restriction so long as the restraints are adequate.

technicolorpachyderms

It’s less that they’re afraid of offending and more than they do the bare minimum required safety-wise not to mention it would take time to research and develop a policy and then train your staff to deal with those situations.

technicolorpachyderms

From a physics standpoint, comparing an elevator to a roller coaster is totally asinine.

Jessie

And I disagree with you there. It is not a good idea to stuff someone the size of a cow into a space made for a human and expect the restraints to work.

Jessie

But that’s exactly the point. How can there be a weight limit for something that travels at 1 mph and NO weight limit on something traveling at 60 mph? Again, it isn’t weight so much as SIZE of a person.

GeeMoeNettie

Sounds like something straight out of Happy Wheels!!!!

Vesper B

Oh Jessie. When I first read you comment, I took it as cow in the
British sense: a stupid thing. That’s what studying abroad will get
you!

Vesper B

Oh, that’s true, Jessie! I like the way you put it (in weight vs. size) because that makes perfect sense.

Vesper B

True. I suppose no one wants to be the one person to tell others they can’t get on the damn roller coaster.

I still think the parks are afraid of negative media. Look at the media British Airways is receiving from not taking the obese man back to Europe.

Taster’sChoice

I think the lesson here is not to ride the old ass wooden coasters. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Carowinds but fuck Thunder Road. Oh and that hurler one too. But the Intimidator ROCKS!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KasKS7TRH-Q

Taster’sChoice

I saw what you did there!!! lol

Taster’sChoice

Especially on an old coaster – ever notice how even small / short / thin people have a hard time getting in and out? I think they were designed smaller back then because people didn’t (on average) weigh as much as typical people do nowadays.

Malodorous

I know. And I trust you to roll well on your detect sarcasm throws.

ZodiacKiller

I remember when I was very young, maybe 9 or 10, my father took me on an in-door roller coaster ride. His stomach was so big they couldn’t bring the bar all the way down so they just locked it in place over his big belly and I had a huge amount of space between me and the safety. The second the roller coaster went downhill I shot straight up and almost out into the darkness below. The only thing that kept me inside were my hands gripping the bar for dear life. Luckily the ride was short enough that my little kid strength was enough. I don’t go on rides anymore.

captaingrumpy

you are right , the puppy in the photo is so adorable. A real “take me home” photo.

Omg! I live in Charlotte so I’ve been to Carowinds a couple of times…i rode the hurler and felt like i was gonna be thrown out! Oh fuck that, no intimidator for me! I cant believe the insane lines for that thing..

Taster’sChoice

I hear ya. Me too and I am a native. :). The intimidator can actually run three trains at a time since the track is over a mile long (literally). And I’ve never seen it take more than about 20 mins for me to get on. You should try it…

Jessie

Alright, alright. An anorexic cow?

Der Mac

And what kind of B.S. is that from the Six Flags douche bag suits? You can’t conduct a ride that kills people and then blame it on someone else. If someone else is indeed ultimately responsible, then that should involve a separate suit between Six Flags and that company.

Der Mac

When programmed by morons, which is pretty much an 80% chance in this century, I have to agree with you.

Der Mac

You would lose half your potential customers that way in a state like Texas

Der Mac

Very scary stories, both! I don’t know to say, other than that the shirking of blame by Six Flags says it all! It’s a very good idea to avoid those damn things.

The stories about untethered parasailers also speaks volumes against poorly-regulated forms of thrilling entertainment. I think you’re more safe in a helicopter or tandem skydiving where there’s someone in charge who stands a chance to lose his/her neck as well.

JohnQknowitall

The bs is your legal and insurance system. If a suit is initiated for negligence against you, then it is in your financial best interest to let your insurance company pick up the tab –which they will do if you, the defendant, keep your mouth shut and let them do their job. Bad things happen and this is why we buy insurance. I doubt Six Flags did this on purpose, but it happened (happens) and this is why we all should buy insurance. ALSO I cannot believe the family is only asking $1 million. This is either a business leaning law in TX (surprising?) or an incompetent lawyer.

JohnQknowitall

What’d you say? —- Don’t count on it.

JohnQknowitall

I upvoted you. I think with computer simulatons like this the family will win hands down!!! Yeah! Technology!

JohnQknowitall

When you live in an imperfect world, bad things can and do happen. The question here is Who if anyone was neglegent?

Malodorous

Clean your glasses, John. This is no simulation.

Der Mac

“Who with any responsibility for safety was not to blame?” would be a more appropriate question. That death was riddled with negligence from A-to-Z.

Der Mac

Don’t know about the $1 million culprit, but it’s not my legal and insurance system really (any more).

Jessie

True story.

Sarah Ochocki

Are we seriously blaming her death on her for being fat? If she was told it was OK for her to go on the ride, it is her not her fault for not assuming it was opposite day and actually the ride was gonna chop her in half.

Jessie

Not blaming, but the morbid obesity is directly related to the equipment failure. All I am saying is, ironically, the fat is what killed her. The park should still pay, of course.

technicolorpachyderms

Incorrect. The issue is that an obese person’s stomach is soft and will shift from the force of the ride. If the restraint is below the belly, then there is no issue. If it is above, the weight can shift rendering the restraint totally useless. You can hate fat people if you want but it’s not their massive size pulling welded metal apart or some nonsense.

Der Mac

This statement makes no sense

Der Mac

His(?) point is that the restraining bar fails to lock in (for safety’s sake). Whether the bar is pressed down below or above the waistline is moot in that an extra danger is exposed for the obese should the bar be prevented from locking due to the resistance of (excess) fat.

Surely, there’s a less graphic discourse we could be embarking upon, or?

Taster’sChoice

Sure it does. Clearly you have never ridden thunder road at carowinds or any other ancient coaster anywhere else for that matter. Because it is the same problem on every old wooden coaster at every park I’ve ever been to. Any ride designed in the 70s was designed for smaller people. Because the “average” person isn’t as small today on average as we used to be as a whole.

Emily Clocke

$1 mil is too cheap in my opinion. After what Rosa went through, the family should ask for multiple millions.

candytree

so fat people aren’t human, then?

Jessie

I never said that…. they are weak-minded and unmotivated humans, though. That’s for sure.

Der Mac

It is a shirking of responsibility by Six Flags in a public relational sense if not a legal sense to haul off and blame the contractor they hired and whose work they had approved. I agree with you that they would do better to not comment.

JohnQknowitall

Simply put, the insurance company will handle the over the top expense heavy litigation and Six Flags’ best friend right now is the insurance company and they better not piss of their best friend.

I work for the government and it won’t let me read this website. What’s the article?

BearsBluff

A new study finds that Native and Latin Americans have a higher rate of
the gene “SLC16A11″. This gene can be traced back to Neanderthals and results in a higher percentage of Type 2 diabetes cases in these populations.
“SLC16A11 is part of a family of genes that code for proteins that transport metabolites – molecules involved in the body’s various chemical reactions.
Altering the levels of the SLC16A11 protein can change the amount of a type of fat that has been implicated in the risk of diabetes. These findings suggest that SLC16A11 could be involved in the transport of an unknown metabolite that affects fat levels in cells and thereby increases risk of type 2 diabetes.”
So… weakminded and lazy may not be fair.

Jessie

Thanks, I actually did know that. I did my masters thesis on the different fat depots, inflammatory markers, and how they affect type 2 diabetes. There are actually quite a few cytokines other than this that lead to the increased risk associated with blacks, latinos, and native americans. The risk is only increased if the person carrying this gene decides to eat themselves into a “jabba the hut”- like state of obesity…. such as this woman. In order for the fat to be distributed poorly, you have to EAT the fat. Also, she made herself fat by not exercising. I think weak minded and lazy is a good description, still. Sorry.

Danielle Skye

Fuck that – fucking illegal fat bitch and her family. Go back to Mexico you dirty scum sucking pigs.

Lizza

How devastating! I rode the TG when I was 10– my first roller coaster and I was like 90lbs wet… I felt like the seats were going to come off the tracks the entire time – nothing about this ride has ever felt very safe.

NormaJeane Baker

Reported!

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